Mika Zibanejad has agreed to an eight-year contract worth $68 million with the New York Rangers, it was reported late on Sunday. The 28-year-old player will have an $8.5 million salary cap.
Since joining the Rangers from the Ottawa Senators in 2016, Zibanejad has scored 283 points in 232 regular-season games. Last season, the Swedish center became a point-per-game player, scoring 24 goals and 26 assists in 50 appearances.
New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury released the following statement with regards to the deal: “Since joining the team in 2016, Mika has emerged as one of the premier players in the NHL. In addition to being a great player on the ice, Mika is an exemplary person off of the ice. We are fortunate to have him as part of our Rangers organization and are excited that he will continue his career in New York.”
In addition to securing the services of Zibanejad for the next eight seasons, the Rangers have also struck deals with forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Barclay Goodrow, each of whom has committed five years or more to the franchise. It is widely believed that the Rangers’ next contract renewal target will be Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Adam Fox. The 23-year-old is currently serving the final year of his existing deal.
